Shibboleth
by Elalien
Summary: Hermione reveales she is a spy for Voldemort. But why?
1. Default Chapter

Shibboleth – Chapter 1 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe, it all belongs to JKR. I'm just borrowing it.

A/N: The story is set in GoF. I haven't read OotP yet (gasp) so there's no spoilers! This is a very AU story, enjoy!

*****

Hermione was a clever girl. She had been able to find a solution to almost every problem she had ever come across using a logical and thoughtful approach, which invariably saw her sieving through mountains of books. So it was not a surprise to her classmates when Hermione slipped off to the library early in the evening to do 'some research' for, they assumed, the ridiculously hard potions essay they had been set that day. Early evening was Hermione's favourite time because there were never many people in the library. Like students everywhere, most of those at Hogwarts preferred to relax in the evening and leave all the work until it was too late and then had to rush to get it done. Hermione pulled a few, seemingly unconnected but deliberately chosen books off the selves and sat down at a shadowy table. She spread the books out, all opened to the same subject – telepathy. Unfortunately there were few books which contained any information on the subject considering telepathic powers were very rarely needed due to the effectiveness of the Pensive.

Suddenly she felt a tingling in her spine which rapidly turned to pain, spreading over her whole body, paralysing her. Her head felt like fire, she closed her eyes and dread filled her. 

Not now, she thought in terror, not now. Someone might see me.

But the pain didn't cease one bit and she heard the all too common voice booming in her head.

"What are you up to little one? Reading things you shouldn't? " It was a statement not a question and Hermione was not given any time to answer.

"I told you there would be serious consequences for disobeying me. Perhaps you have forgotten. Perhaps you need a little reminder." The voice sneered as what felt like a hand tightened around her neck, constricting the air flow to her lungs. 

  
"Do not forget the port key Hermione and remember, I'm watching you" the voice said. A chill spread through her veins to her heart. She wanted to scream but couldn't even move a muscle. Terror gripped her as she felt the room spin and begin to turn black. A few moments later she fell forward and with a thump, her head landed on the desk. 

Hermione woke up four hours later when Harry sat down next to her and gently shook her. 

"You've been studying way too hard 'Mione."  Harry commented, looking slightly concerned. Hermione smiled despite the excruciating headache she had begun to develop.

"Don't worry about me Harry. But you should be worrying about how you're going to get into that egg for the TriWizard Tournament. It's not long now you know." She said quickly changing the subject, settling back comfortably into her bossy know-it-all character which seemed to satisfy Harry. Quickly she closed the books and before Harry had a chance to see them, put them back onto their respective shelves then walked back to the Gryffindor common room with him.

That night she slept very badly, or to be precise, she didn't sleep at all. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the library that evening. So, Voldemort knew she was looking for a way of severing the link between their minds. She would have to be careful now. She thought sadly of the message he had given her. She had to swap the Goblet of Fire with a portkey which would send Harry straight into Voldemort's hands. Hermione grasped the sheets tightly in her hands until her nails bit into her palms and drew blood. She hated this fine line she was forced to tread; sent by Voldemort to befriend Harry then betray him by sending him to his death. But she had no choice. 

Hermione sighed. All of the trouble Harry found himself in which involved Voldemort was in some way due to her. Her job was to lead Harry into Voldemort's traps by providing him with the necessary help to get there. Devil's snare in the first year. Her failed attempt at the Basilisk clue in the second – it seemed he didn't really need her at all for that one. This year she had helped him learn how to retrieve his broom for the dragon task. To mention just a few. 

Hermione thought back to when she first arrived at Hogwarts, scared and unsure of herself. She had been told to create a studious persona so as to provide a cover up for any unexpected absences or odd behaviour. However this only drove Harry away from her. It was commonly believed that she had cried in the toilets for a day during her first month at Hogwarts because Ron had insulted her. The truth was that Voldemort felt she needed to be severely punished for not befriending Harry more quickly. 

Her Sorting had been a total farce. She knew that Quirrell had used very powerful dark magic to trick the Hat into sorting her into Gryffindor so as to be close to Harry. The Hat, to it's credit, had resisted and almost put her in Slytherin when it felt Voldemort in her mind. However the dark lord had managed to bend the Hat's will sufficiently and her fate was sealed. 

*****

So, what do you think?! This chapter was mainly background, but I promise more action next time. Please R & R, it'll make my day. Thanks! Elalien


	2. Chapter 2: Suspicions

Shibboleth – Chapter 2 

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Thanks to Li-chan and Alba for reviewing. I had a smile on my face for the whole day! J

Sorry about the mix-up with the double posting. My account was playing up so I posted the story using my brother's account (Jonru) and then it turned up on mine too. Doh!

*****

Hermione sneaked down to the common room at midnight when all the Gryffindors had finally made it to bed. It was the fourth time that week she had spent up all night preparing to swap the Goblet of Fire with a portkey as Voldemort had commanded her to do. She had to plan the operation very carefully as she couldn't risk being caught and Voldemort's plot being revealed. She discovered there was a potion which would disable the real Goblet so she could switch it quietly without it alerting anyone. However, after a night and a half's research, she found the potion required some rather uncommon ingredients. That meant sneaking into Snape's stores and stealing what she needed, just as she had done for the Polyjuice potion. She wasn't looking forward to that task as it was another opportunity for her cover to be blown. However, Voldemort wanted the portkey ready soon and she knew not to disobey him. She spent the night compiling a list of the ingredients she needed and decided to obtain them the following night. Finally, at 4:00 am, Hermione slipped back to her bed, exhausted. 

Hermione woke with a start the next morning. Looking round the room she saw that all her roommates had already left. She pulled on her robes and rushed down to the common room which was also deserted. The clock showed that lessons were due to start in two minutes so grabbed her wand and books and ran as fast as she could to the Transfiguration classroom. Luckily McGonagall hadn't started the lesson when she arrived and simply remarked,

"Hurry up Miss Granger and sit down. It's not like you to be late". The professor didn't take away any house points and seemed willing to let the matter drop. As 'the perfect student' Hermione had the benefit that many of the teaching staff tended to overlook any slight transgressions on her part. The lesson dragged on and Hermione felt her concentration slipping. Another benefit of always answering questions in class was that the professors never picked on her, preferring to ask some of the quieter members of the class and the lesson passed without her having the utter a single word. 

The rest of the day continued in a blur for Hermione. She was starving when it came to dinner and was one of the first into the Great Hall. 

"Hey Hermione! Didn't see you at breakfast. We thought you must have got eaten by a troll in the night or something!" Harry commented jokingly as he sat down next to her a few minutes after she had arrived. Hermione raised her eyebrow and glared at Harry. 

"I overslept a bit."

"Well there's a first for everything I suppose," said Ron "but I haven't see any flying pigs yet today." Harry snorted and the trio tucked into their food.

*

Hermione crept into the common room that night with the list of ingredients clutched in her hand. She cast an invisibility spell over herself which she had been practicing during the last week. Silently she made her way down into the dungeons without seeing another living (or dead) thing. As she had expected, Snape's stores were protected with charms to deter thieves like her but they were stronger than last time she had been there. So, Snape must have discovered someone had stolen from him but it seemed he was never able to find out who. She carefully disabled the movement detector curse on the door and used a combination of Alohamora and more complex counter charms to gain access. Quickly gathering up the ingredients, she stuffed them into her bag and closed the door behind her. Her heart raced as the she turned the corner and climbed the steps leading out of the dungeon.  

What she didn't see was a black figure entering the store only moments after she had left it. 

"Damn it" Snape muttered. He had been alerted to the intruder too late as all but one of the protection wards had been broken. Whoever had been in there was good, he thought. He checked through to see what had been taken. Mostly rare ingredients which could be used in combination for a number of different potions. 

"Potter" Snape spat. He was almost certain it was that meddling brat, aided by his two irritating sidekicks but as before, he had no proof. 

Both Hermione and Snape returned to their beds and spent a restless night thinking about stolen potion ingredients.

*

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked to the afternoon's potions lesson together and Ron was complaining bitterly about the recent essay as usual. They took their seats at the back of the classroom. Shortly after, Snape swooped into the room and the class fell silent. Gliding over to his chair he glared at the Gryffindors.

"I have wasted my precious time marking your essays on Truth Serums and I have to admit that you have astounded me with your utter incompetence. I should particularly like to highlight Miss Granger's abysmal attempt which has earned her an F."

The whole class inhaled in disbelief and Hermione felt like they hadn't left her any air to breathe. She turned bright red, wishing a hole would open up in the floor and swallow her as every head turned in her direction. 

Snape handed out the essays, complementing the Slytherins and cruelly criticizing the Gryffindors. When he reached Hermione, he slammed the parchment down on the desk making her jump and glared at her viciously. 

"You will do it again," he barked.

"Yes Sir," she replied and he moved on to his next victim. Harry tried to comfort her but Hermione was completely shocked at getting the lowest mark of her life. 

The lesson went from bad to worse. Snape was feeling particularly vindictive especially after Neville's cauldron bubbled over onto the floor staining it fluorescent pink, earning him a detention to clean it up. Hermione's hands shook as she added the moth wings, pouring in too many and rendering the potion totally useless. Snape chose that moment to inspect her cauldron.

"I see that yet again you have failed to correctly carry out my instructions Miss Granger. You will see me at the end of the lesson to discuss your lazy attitude towards my class. I will not tolerate it."

There was no point in starting a new potion so Hermione packed up her things and waited until the class was dismissed. She solemnly walked up to Snape's desk and waited for him to acknowledge her. He stood up, towering intimidating above her and looked down, staring into her eyes with a piercing glare which she thought might go straight through her. 

"Your essay was most disappointing Miss Granger and your potion making today was simply careless. Tell me, have you suddenly become extremely dense or do you just think you don't need to put any effort into your work?" 

Hermione looked at the floor. Snape grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. 

"Answer me Miss Granger."

"I..I..don't know….I" she stammered, desperately trying to think of an excuse. Her heart raced. She didn't think 'I was doing a job for Voldemort' was a good thing to say. 

"I guess I didn't put enough time into it because I've had lots of other things to..do... " Well, that was true.

Hermione felt Snape stiffen and he bought his face to within an inch of Hermione's. He hissed,

"I thought you of all people would realise that your schoolwork is your most important priority. I expected more of you Miss Granger. You have let yourself down." He moved away and sat down. 

"You will redo the essay on Truth Serums and hand it in in two days time. I expect it to be of the highest standard. You will also serve detention with me on that day." Snape picked up his red quill and started to mark some parchment. Hermione cringed. She had never had a detention before.

"Yes Sir" she said and turned to leave.

"Don't let this happen again Miss Granger" Snape said without looking up.

"No Sir," she replied and left the dungeon.

* 

Snape sat back and watched Hermione leave. He could have sworn he had had smelt of a mixture of Midnight Lily Essence and Fossflower berries around her. Both were ingredients not used by fourth years and both were stolen last night. He knew he was not mistaken. So, what was Miss Granger up to? Schoolwork standards dropping and stealing ingredients from his store. He decided to keep a close eye on her.

*

Harry and Ron were frantic when Hermione arrived in the common room.

"What happened in there 'Mione?" Harry sounded worried.

"He was angry about my essay and my potion. He wanted to know why it was so bad and he wants me redo it. And he gave me a detention."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Harry, Ron and half of the Gryffindor common room who had been listening in.

"That greasy git" Ron said in his 'I-hate-Snape-so-much' voice. Harry put his hand on Hermione's arm,

  
"Don't worry 'Mione…" But he couldn't think of anything that would comfort her. He knew how much she prized her record of never having a detention. Hermione slipped up to her room while the common room discussed Snape's unfairness and general nastiness in great detail.

In her heart she knew she had deserved the grade. She had spent so much time on Voldemort's project that she hadn't had the time nor energy to devote to her school work. She knew her grades were going down in all subjects, not just potions. It was just that all the others teachers put it down to a temporary hiccup. She was so tired but she still had to brew the Goblet potion which needed to be done soon. How was she going to do that plus redo Snape's essay and finish all her normal homework?  Hermione had never felt under so much pressure. 

*****

A/N: Wow, this is a really long chapter for me, it took me all afternoon! So, did you think it was worth it? If not, how could I improve it? I appreciate your thoughts! Elalien
    
    Alba: Glad you liked it and hope you enjoy this one just as much!
    
    Li-chan: All your answers will be answered in time, don't worry! You'll just have to wait a little longer.


End file.
